The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-11
A BATTLE WITH THUGS.

Daring Rescue of Prisoner Being Com
veyed from Pittsburgh to Cleveland
His "Pals' Engage His Captors in a
Deadly Conflict, and Escape After Beat
ing the officers Nearly to Death.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, Feb. 5.-The most dar-
} Ing and successful attempt that was ever
made in this vicinity to rescue a prisoner
occurred early yesterday morning on the
Cleveland and Pittsburgh express which
left this city at 11;25 o'clock Thursday
night for Cleveland. So desperate were
the confederates that two of Cleveland's
detectives were fatally wounded. Captain
Hoehn and Detective Hulligan, of Cleve-
land, having received a requisition, deter
mined to return to Cleveland Thursday
night with their prisoner, Harry McMunn,
who was accused of having been concerned
in the recent extensive fur robbery in that
city. They took every precaution to pre-
vent any attempt that might be made by
the pals OF McMunn to rescue. Securely
handcufed, the prisoner was placed on
board the train at the outer depot in Ale
gheny. He took his arrest very coolly, and
seemed anxious to cause the detectives as
little trouble as possible.
At two o'clock in the morning, when the
train arrived at Alliance, o., three men
came aboard; after passing through sew
eral coaches they entered the smoker, in
which were seated the officer and their
prisoner. No sign of recognition passed
between McMunn and the men, and they
sat down few seats from the prisoner and
in a few minutes the express continued on
its course. When Ravenna was reached the
five men arose suddenly from their seats
and without warning drew their reviewers
on the officers. There were but couple
of other passengers in the car and the con-
federates of McMunn were complete mas
tiers of the situation. Their quick action
gave them the drop on the officers. One
of the men demanded their prisoner but
instead of complying with their re-
quest the officers jumped to their
feet and tried to draw their revolvers
They were too late. The five men
opened fire On them. Captain Hoehn
reeled and tottered over into the aisle with
bullets in his shoulder and thigh. AS he
fell one of the gang jumped on him and
kicked him until he lay as still as death.
When the firing first commenced, De-
tective Hulligan received a bullet in
his body. He still attempted to defend
himself and another volley was tlred at
him. He tottered and fell insensible in
the seat. He was then kicked until his
head was split open The few passengers
that were in the smoking-car became ter
rorized and hid under the seats The
alarm spread to the other cars and the
trainmen and other passengers hurried
forward A frightful scene met their
gaze. Stretched out but few feet
apart were the bodies of detect
i've Hulligan and Captain Hoehn.
The floor was covered with blood and
the seats in the car near where the shoot
ing had occurred, were pierced and shat
tered by the bullets that had sped from
five revolvers. The prisoner and his res
cuers had disappeared in the excitement,
having jumped from the train. All
trace of them was lost in the darkness.
The Ravenna police were notified, and a
posse started out at once TO ScOur the
country. The injured men were made as
comfortable as possible, and then taken on
to Cleveland, arriving there about six
o'clock yesterday morning.
Hoehn and Hulligan were met at the de-
pot by the patrol wagon and ambulance.
The former was taken to the County Hos
pital and the latter to his home on Lake
street. Hulligan and Hoehn are each in a
precariOuS condition, the formers head be-
ing terribly crushed and Hoehn having a
bullet in his abdomen near a vital part.
The County Commissioners and the Po-
lice Board have offered a reward of 81, 600
for the capture of the burglars. Both of
the wounded officers are resting quietly,
but tho chances of recovery are strongly
against them. The country about Ravenna
is being secured by detectives and police
men in The hope of capturing the despera-
does.
The whole thing was well planned and
executed, the would-be assassins, no doubt,
leaving on the Fort Wayne train that left
Pittsburgh at the same time as the Cleve-
land & Pittsburgh, and calculating to strike
Alliance as soon as the officers.
McMunn, alias McMillen, was the thief
captured by the officers, and the assailants
were supposed to be McAleen, Lockwood,
Tom Taylor and "Big Red" They are
we'll known to the police all over the
West